The Ministry’s ‘annual report and accounts 2021 to 2022’ includes a Performance Report, an Accountability Report and the Annual Accounts. All provide detail on Defence activity undertaken during the financial year 2021 to 2022. The paper sums up procurement plans.
The report says
“48 F-35B Lightning aircraft are on contract. We have made
provision to buy additional aircraft, and our planning assumption is that we
will purchase additional F-35B Lightning aircraft, but this remains subject to
negotiation. One of these is a replacement of the one lost during CSG 21. The
approvals for the advanced electronically scanned array radar programme are
complete and will see a prototype radar, ready for integration and flight
trials on Typhoon, in 2023.”
Last year in November, a British F-35B aircraft from HMS Queen Elizabeth
crashed into the Mediterranean Sea; the pilot ejected safely. The F-35B was discovered one
month later.
